A Taste of Moonlight
by Silver Witch
Summary: Harry tries to protect Ginny, but ends up needing protected from her. He has to learn a few truths, about himself and others. Will he listen or has he already made up his mind in this area? ...HPGW RWHG DMLL NL?
1. The Escape

Severus Snape sighed as he stared out the window into the night that was as black as his soul felt inside. It was a heavy, damp black; the kind of black that leeched the warmth from your soul. He leaned his forehead against the cool black of the window pain and wished the inky night would swallow him in it.

It had been the only way to help her, that promise. The only way to make her see that nothing would ever go wrong for her if he could just be there to help her. As soon as he realized what he had promised for her, he'd told Dumbledore. His mentor and friend had been kind, understanding even – a strange trait in someone who knew the manner in which they would die.

Now that Lucius was out of prison, she was rarely seen. If he was honest with himself, he'd admit that he loved Narcissa, and always had. If he were stronger, braver, he would have saved her from this disaster of a marriage she was trapped in. If he were anyone but himself, he would save her.

That's what angered him most about James Potter. Even though Lily Evans hated him, he protected her from the world. James was brave enough for the woman he loved, even when she wouldn't speak to him. And his son showed the same strength. Severus knew he was worthless.

The screaming from the master bedroom had ended nearly an hour ago, but it echoed in his soul.

A loud banging drug him out of his pool of self pity. Severus crossed to the door and opened it, shocked to find Draco Malfoy on the other side. Quickly, he pulled him inside and slammed the door. With the door shut, no one else in the house could hear what went on in this room.

"He killed her!" Draco shouted in a voice hoarse from heart-wrenching sobs. "He killed my mother. The only one who ever showed me any form of kindness…"

Feeling the same broken heart, Severus held the young man as though he were only a toddler. The two sank to their knees and mourned the loss of a woman who had been the only reason for either of them to continue on.

"What do I do, Professor?" Draco finally hiccupped. "I don't want to end up like my father. I want a chance to live."

Severus leaned back and looked at the young man who was so like his mother.

"I couldn't save Narcissa, even though I loved her as much as I'm capable of loving anyone," he admitted, wondering why the words were coming now, when the one who needed them was gone. "I won't let her only child suffer anymore."

He felt different, like it was okay to stand up for himself finally. He'd always been bullied; first by his father, then his so-called "friends." Now, at long last, Severus was going to do something to make Albus and Narcissa proud of him.

"We'll go to the house of someone who was kind to me once, someone who owes me a favor," he told his young companion.

"What if they try to find us?" Draco asked, his fear making him sound like small child.

"They'll have to kill me, this time," the raven-haired man answered grimly.

Meanwhile…

Luna Lovegood smiled absently at the tiny grey kitten her father had given her. She really enjoyed the little cat's antics, but she was waiting for her father to drop the other shoe. He only bought her presents when he was leaving her alone for a while. Luna only vaguely wondered where he was going this time.

"Darling," Copper Lovegood began, "I have to go to Russia for a week, but I promise to return before you head back to school."

"Yes, Daddy," Luna sighed. "What is it this time?"

"There are reports that the vampires are mating with Sun-Seekers."

"Sun-Seekers?" Luna asked curiously. "Is this a real creature or one of your tips?"

"A Sun-Seeker is a creature that can only live in full sunlight and feeds on the pigment in muggles, making them more likely to get sunburns," Copper informed her, his eyes dancing.

"Ah," Luna said slowly, turning away. "A tip from one of your reporters. Have fun, Daddy."

"I'm sorry to leave you again, Luna," he said, whining just a little.

"It's fine," Luna said, smiling brightly. "I really don't mind. Bring me back something nice."

As he wandered toward his bedroom to pack, Luna nearly cried. Her mother was dead, true, but her father might as well be for all he was always gone! Life never went as planned in Luna's world.

A knock on the door drew her attention. She rose to answer it, only to be eaten to the door by her father.

"I've got it, sweetheart."

Luna scowled, but the look quickly gave way to shock as the door opened and admitted Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy.

"Bloody hell!" she swore brightly. "Dad, quick, call the aurors."

"Quiet, Luna," Copper snapped. "Severus, what the devil are you doing here?"

"I've come to collect on the debt you owe me," the former professor answered.

With a furtive glance at his daughter, Copper nodded. "We'll talk back here."

The two adults left the room, leaving Draco and Luna alone.

"Um…" the young man started.

"Stuff it, Malfoy," Luna snapped, stalking into the kitchen.

Draco followed, curiosity overriding his good sense. "You seem different at school."

Luna rolled her eyes and pulled the milk pitcher out of the refrigerator. "Well, everyone at school is expecting an idiot when they talk to me. When I started school, I believed everything my father told me, by the time I was old enough to think for myself, it was just easier to stick with everyone's preconceived notions."

Draco snorted and sat heavily in a chair. "Tell me about it," he mumbled.

Luna stared at him questioningly for a moment, then grabbed two glasses and brought the milk to the table. Draco looked up in surprise, but accepted the glass.

"I'm not sure what's going on here, Malfoy," she informed him. "My instinct says to trust you, and my instinct is never wrong. Tell me what's happened."

"What makes you think something happened?" he asked.

"My instincts are never wrong," she repeated. "Talk, Draco. Who else have you got to share things with?"

Slowly, he began to open up, telling Luna about the beatings he'd received as a child, and the mental torture he endured constantly around his father, the curses from Voldemort, the rare love shown by his mother, for which they'd both been punished. Once he started, he couldn't seem to stop…spilling secrets he'd held since before he began school. Luna sat quietly, absorbing everything. She was rather shocked.

Honestly, Luna hadn't expected Draco to say anything, let alone everything. Her heart pained her for his horrifying story, and she could see why accepting the task of killing Dumbledore had seemed like an escape route.

As the story ended, Draco seemed exhausted, but less troubled. Luna reached out and took his hand, surprised that he didn't pull away.

"It's going to get better, Draco," she said quietly.

In Draco's Eyes…

He couldn't seem to look away from those silvery-grey pools that were her eyes. For some reason, when she said it would get better, it comforted him like no one else had ever been able to do. Maybe it was because she'd listened without judging him, or that she exuded warmth and comfort, or because she'd touched him without recoiling. Whatever the reason, Draco found himself glad he'd told her.

Severus and Copper came into the kitchen, and he snatched his hand back; a habit born of many years of punishment for affection. Neither man said a word, but Draco noticed that Luna left her hand exactly where it had been before.

"It's time you knew the truth, Luna," Copper began. "The Quibbler has been a front. I've been making up stories in order to excuse my many trips. I've been running espionage operations for years for the Order of the Phoenix."

"That's a relief," Luna said calmly.

Draco looked between them, still at a loss of how to deal with a focused, confident Luna Lovegood.

"I was beginning to think you'd lost your mind, Dad."

Copper flushed. "I never meant to hide it from you, but now that Severus has come, I have to get him in to see the Order. They need to know the truth about what happened, and I'm the only other person who was present for that dreadful conversation."

Luna sat patiently waiting for her father to finish his tale, but Draco felt an irrational urge to comfort her, despite her lack of outward signs of distress.

"You and Mr. Malfoy should wait here, we won't be gone more than a few days."

Draco stared at Severus. "You can't leave me! What am I supposed to do if they come after me?"

"Get to somewhere the Death Eaters would never look for you," Snape said. "I have to make this trip in order to get us permanent safe placement."

Draco felt a tremor of fear, but he quickly suppressed it. "All right, but hurry."

The two men nodded, and within moments they were gone. Draco sat tensed for a moment, then realized they had left a sixteen year old girl alone with a seventeen year old boy. Whatever their reasoning had been, the recently departed men were both idiots.


	2. No Escaping Pain

A/N: I realize the first chapter was all Draco/Luna, but this chapter is all Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione. The other chapter set the scene. I'm sure you've all discovered that already. Neville needs a girlfriend, so I'm taking suggestions from the reviewers! Also to GiGi…all I can do is apologize. I've finished school and so should be able to devote more evenings to writing, but with losing three family members to serious illnesses, my sister getting married and trying to find a job, I suppose I have abandoned some stories. I apologize for my lack of commitment through my troubled times and can only ask forgiveness while I try to get my life somewhat straight.

Dreaming of You

Ginny groaned as she sat up in bed. Her shoulders ached when she raised her arms, and she remembered the dream she'd just had.

_"Don't you let go, Harry!" she screamed as she clung desperately to his arms and the boy with the bright green eyes dangled over a bottomless pit. "I'm not letting you go down that path!"_

_"Stop trying to hold me, Gin!" he yelled in response. "This could be my only chance to destroy him!"_

_Tears flowed from her eyes. "No! There's another way, there has to be!"_

Ginny shuddered. The dream had shaken her, but she wasn't going to let it color her mood for the day. Today was Bill and Fleur wedding rehearsal, which meant Ron, Harry, and Hermione were coming home.

Ginny leapt from her covers and threw on a pair of faded jeans and an old, worn out blouse. She grabbed her hairbrush and pulled her long red locks into a messy ponytail and surveyed her appearance in the mirror.

"Well, it's not great, but I'll have time to change before everyone gets here."

With that, she left her room and jogged lightly down the stairs, where she found Molly preparing breakfast.

"Ginny, dear, I'm glad you're awake. Can you help get the garden into some sort of order? You're better at that than your fool brothers," the Weasley matriarch called.

"Sure, Mum," her daughter smiled, grabbing a bit of sausage before ducking out the door.

The scene outside was much more chaotic than Ginny would have guessed, given that they still had over 24 hours until the wedding.

Bill was standing over by the shed, staring at a flowering bush that Ginny could never remember the name of. Charlie was lazily flying a table through the air, zooming low over the heads of the twins. Fred and George were examining the food table from all angles, and Ginny knew that had to be bad.

"Oy!" she cried. "Charlie, put the table down! Fred, George, do anything to that table and I will personally come after you! Why don't you start putting chairs out?"

She headed toward her oldest brother, and stop right beside him.

"Good morning, Bill," she said quietly.

"Hey, Gin," he murmured.

She pretended to be upset. "That's all I get? Not 'I've waited all day to see you.' or, 'My you look smashing today.'?"

Bill grinned, and finally looked at her. "I'm not Harry, Gin. Why would I say that?"

Ginny punched his arm and sat next to him on what she now saw was an upturned flower urn.

"This had better be the empty one, or Mum'll skin you alive. What's eating you, big brother?"

Bill sighed. "I still can't believe Fleur is willing to settle for me. I was lucky she ever looked at me in the first place, but now, with my face…"

Ginny put a hand on his arm. "Stop that," she snapped. "Fleur isn't settling. She's bloody lucky to have you. As for your face, remember what you told me when I had been in the chamber. What we go through in life makes us who we are. I was certain everyone would hate me, and I wanted to die, but you kept sending me mail every day telling me that past mistakes are gone, and it's who we are deep inside that determines what happens in our lives."

Bill nodded, hanging his head. "But Gin, look at me."

"I am," she insisted. "I see my brother. Smartest of the lot, and as handsome as the day you were born. The scars on you face mean no more than the scar on Harry's face. You are still the man that I look up to and that Fleur loves. Don't let some idiot with a superiority complex take that from you."

Bill looked at Ginny, surprised. "How'd you get so smart?"

"I learned from all of my brothers' mistakes."

He hugged her and stood up. "There's certainly been a lot to learn from."

They joined the other three in setting up the yard until Molly called them in for breakfast.

At Privet Drive…

Harry closed his eyes, refusing to let his pain take control. He was losing people every time he turned around. First his parents, then Sirius, Dumbledore, and…Ginny. He lost her because he couldn't bear to see her get hurt. Never mind that it was killing him. Now Ron and Hermione were insisting on accompanying him to his death if need be.

"It's important that we get to the Burrow as soon as we can today to help your Mum," Hermione was saying. "Otherwise she's going to have to do all that work herself."

Harry nodded, absently. He didn't want to think about the Weasleys, because that led him right back to Ginny. To be honest, though, everything he thought, felt or did led him back to Ginny.

Harry let Hermione and Ron lead him through the preparations to return to the Burrow. He had no desire to even think about anything because all his thoughts caused him more pain.

Soon he was at the place where he'd always felt at home, and seeing Molly in the kitchen made his heart ache.

"Hello, dears," she said briskly. "If you've not eaten, I can whip something up for you, otherwise, I need help with the garden."

Rona and Hermione sat at the table, having skipped breakfast. Harry wasn't hungry, though, and headed out to the back yard. He looked around, seeing Charlie and Bill moving benches into rows and the twins were hovering over something very yellow.

"You realize that she'll kill you both when she changes back," Bill called good-naturedly.

Harry gave a start when he realized the victim of a canary cream was Ginny.

There was a 'pop' and Ginny stood next to the buffet table, glaring furiously at the twins.

"Fred, George, have you made out your wills?" she snarled, giving chase when the two nineteen year olds ran from her. They were all over the yard, dodging between decorations and furniture when they zipped back toward the door Harry was still in front of. The twins dove past him, but Ginny ran fully into him, knocking them both to the ground.

"Harry!" she gasped breathlessly.

"Merlin's beard, I've missed you, Gin," Harry answered, mentally kicking himself as soon as the words left his mouth.


	3. Let Me Wake Up

A/N: This is to apologize for the last chapter's author note. That was depressing and no one really wants to hear about my personal life. On the lighter side, in this chapter, Draco and Harry will come face to face. The polls are still open for Neville's girlfriend. Send your thoughts in a review.

Let Me Wake Up

Ginny knew better than to accept Harry's words at face value. The fact that his face twisted into a horrified grimace immediately upon speaking told her that he still felt that being together was a liability.

"You're a git, Harry," she snapped, standing and stomping into the house.

Bill let out a long whistle. "Five seconds…I think that's a record time for inciting Ginny's wrath."

Harry pushed himself up and walked toward the eldest of the Weasley children.

"I deserve it," Harry mumbled.

"Yes, you do," the scarred man said simply.

Harry stared at him in shock. After a moment, Bill shook his head.

"What? Did you want me to say that she's just like that, or that she's worried about you, or that Ginny just needs time to adjust to having you in the house?" the scarred man demanded of the would-be-hero. "Well, she is, and she does, but this is your fault too."

Harry shook his head. "Bill, you know what it's like to be in love with someone, and to be willing to let them go if that's what is best for them."

Bill smirked, thinking back to his earlier conversation with his sister. He sat on the bench and indicated for Harry to follow suit. Charlie joined them in a second.

"Harry," Bill started, wondering how to explain a concept that he'd just realized this morning. "Women love differently than men. We need to protect, they need to nurture. We provide, they permit."

Charlie laughed. "Anything a man does is what he's allowed to do by the women in his life. Mum has allowed us to set up the garden for the wedding. Yet she sent Ginny out to make sure it was done right."

Harry shook his head to clear it. "By your reasoning, a man only gets to love a woman when she allows him to love her."

The brothers smiled, and Bill clapped a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"Now you've got it," he crowed. "With Ginny, it's difficult, because she's got this notion (probably inherited from Mum) that she knows everything about people. She's nearly always spot on, which only reinforces that belief. Ginny has allowed you to love her Harry, so get to loving before she changes her mind."

Harry stared back toward the house. "And what if she gets hurt because of that love?"

Charlie took the lead on that question, seeing the self-doubt on his older brother's face. "Both of you need to understand, in this life there are no guarantees that things will turn out. So long as Voldemort is out there, someone is bound to be hurt. Would you deny that person love in their last days of life?"

It wasn't hopeful, or cheerful, but it was honest. None of them spoke for a moment until Ginny stalked out the back door, glaring at them.

"Where are you going, little sister?" Charlie called to her.

"Bugger off!" she shouted in response.

Harry started to go after her, but Bill held him back.

"Unless you want to be attacked by your own bogeys, Harry," he warned, "you'd best let her cool down first."

"But what if something happens to her while she's out walking?"

Charlie stood and gave his attention back to the benches. "She's heading for the Lovegood's house, over the way a bit. She'll floo Mum when she gets there, and Mum'll send us to look if she doesn't hear from her soon."

The raven haired young man didn't speak, only watched until she was out of sight. Then, with a mind to rid himself of some of the excess energy he'd built up, he set to helping the oldest Weasley boys move benches.

Ginny stopped stomping long before she arrived at Luna's house. Luna acted ridiculous sometimes at school, but Ginny knew her to be an intuitive, reliable friend. She stopped on the step and knocked politely. Within a moment, the blonde girl opened the door.

"Ginny! Why didn't you just floo over?"

The redhead grinned wryly. "I needed the exercise."

Luna nodded and opened the door wider so she could enter. "Ah, Harry arrived today."

Ginny snorted inelegantly, and headed for the fireplace. After informing Molly that she was there and safe, she turned back to Luna.

"He's messing with my head, and I'm going to kill him before Voldemort has the chance!"

Luna heard the gasp that came from the room Draco had hidden himself in when the knock came. She led Ginny into the kitchen and sat her at the table.

"There is something you should know, my friend, before I let you go any further. But first, I have a question."

Ginny nodded. "Of course, Luna. What is it?"

Luna took a deep breath. "If someone had left the Death Eaters, having never wanted to be a part of them in the first place, would you give that person a second chance?"

The Gryffindor girl knew her friend wasn't in the habit of putting forth hypothetical questions, and so she thought seriously before answering.

"I would, if the person could prove themselves to be trustworthy, and if someone I trusted already was willing to vouch for them. But such a person would have to understand that my friendship and trust would hinge on their behavior."

Luna nodded. "I knew you were kind like that, Gin. If this person was someone we had gone to school with, whose father had abused them until they felt it was their only option, would you forgive them?"

"I don't understand how someone could be so cruel as to take a person's options away. People should be able to think for themselves, not wait for a parent or other person live their life for them."

The Ravenclaw put a hand on Ginny's arm. "We're not talking about you at the moment, dear."

Ginny buried her face in her hands for a moment, and Luna sat silently beside her. After a moment, she looked up.

"I'd like to think I would be a big enough person to help someone become who they wanted to be."

"Good," said a male voice behind them. "Because I'm that person."

Ginny turned to see Draco Malfoy standing in the Lovegood's kitchen.

"Bloody hell," she groaned. "I might have known."

Harry walked purposefully in the direction Molly had pointed him. He was certain that Ginny was unsafe traveling alone, especially since it would be dark before she arrived home. So, in spite of her borthers reminding him that this was something she did frequently, he went after her.

He arrived at a house that fit Molly's description, and went to the door. He knocked impatiently.

"I've never had this many visitors in a day," he heard Luna say before opening the door. Her smile fell when she saw him. "Oh,dear. Ginny! Harry's at the door."

Harry wondered at the dismay in her voice, but forgot it when the door opened wide enough to show Ginny also.

"I didn't want you to walk home alone," he stammered.

"Well, bully for you," she told him crossly. "You can just sit and wait until I'm ready to leave then."

With that, the fiery girl slammed the door. Harry stared at it for a moment, then began to laugh to himself. That was one of the best things about Ginny, that streak of independence. He sat on the step, content to wait for her.

Inside he began to hear voices.

"What are you doing?" Luna cried. "He's obviously trying to apologize!"

"He's a horse's arse, and he's making decisions for me again. I could have flooed home, or I could have walked myself like I've done a thousand times."

"Ginevra, I think he's trying to protect you," said a familiar sounding male voice.

Predictably, Ginny's temper flared again. "I bloody well don't need his protection! That's what started the whole damnable mess! He dumped me to protect me!"

The as yet unidentified male laughed. "That's a stupid thing to do, the Dark Lord already knows how he feels about you."

Harry's breath caught. 'Dark Lord' was how the Death Eaters referred to Voldemort. And if he already knew about Ginny, then she was in trouble with or without him.

"I assumed he did, it was no secret at school, and if one child of a Death Eater was there, then probably a hundred more were, and reported everything to him."

Harry swore softly but colorfully. He never should have drawn Ginny in.

"Besides, there's also Bill, and the failed turning. Charlie, and his teams reasoning with the Dragons so that they won't join Voldemort's ranks now, Fred and George's shop that sells highly useful 'joke' items to those who would resist, Ron being Harry's closest friend…and you on your own, consorting with someone who has and will continue to betray them. Not to mention your parents in the Order and even Percy working with the Ministry…"

"Yeah, I get it," Ginny interrupted. "I was born with a giant bullseye on my head."

Harry put a hand to his face. He'd never considered the danger Ginny was in even without his help. And who was in there, this person who knew so much about the Death Eaters?

"Thanks for trying to help," Harry heard the smile in Ginny's voice even through the door. "You didn't deserve that life you've led, Draco."

Upon hearing the name, Harry saw red. He might not be able to protect her always, but he was damn sure not going to let Malfoy get to her! He barreled through the door, raging like a mad bull.

"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed. "What in the name of Merlin are you doing?"

He didn't answered, just stalked toward the blonde boy with pury fury coming off him in waves. He believed at that moment he could have kill the young Malfoy with his bare hands, but to his great surprise, Luna stepped between them.

"Move," Harry growled.

"No," she replied quite calmly.

"Luna, don't," Draco murmured. "I won't see you hurt because of something I deserve."

Ginny looked between them and came to an instant decision. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at Harry. "_Petrificus totalis_."

Harry felt himself stiffen as his arms and legs snapped in close to his body. He fell forward, and Ginny rushed to turn him over. Unable to even shout at her for stopping him, he settled for a glare.

"Oh stop it," she snapped, completely unafraid of him. "You'll stay like this until you can behave like a civilized person. I know you can hear me, so I'm going to tell you about the life of a person who's had it every bit as bad as you, and you're going to listen."

"Ginny," Draco started. "You don't have to do this. I'm sure I could beat him in a duel, if he were man enough to fight fairly."

Harry's outrage increased. There was no end to Malfoy's arrogance!

Ginny just shook her head. "That attitude will not win you any friends, Draco."

The blonde man snorted. "I've live long enough without friends. I fail to see how they could help me now."

Luna smiled absently and kicked him in the shin. Ignoring his outburst of pain, she looked directly into his eyes. "If you'd remembered that I am your friend, you wouldn't have been kicked just now."

"But YOU'RE the one who kicked me!" he shouted.

Luna nodded complacently. "Aren't you glad I'm your friend, and didn't do anything worse?"

Ginny laughed at them, then sat next to Harry's petrified body. She began telling him the story of Draco, and slowly, Harry began to see that but for a few good friends, he might have been the same as the son of Malfoy.


End file.
